Now, whether he made the right decision (in the minds of fans) is up for debate.

Certainly both he and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski are convinced the time was right for a player expected to be among the top three picks in the draft.

"It was a great experience playing for Coach K," Irving said. "He taught me a lot about the game."

Said Krzyzewski: "We look forward to continuing to work with him during the upcoming months leading to his entry into the NBA and afterwards while he is an NBA player. He is a great young man, a terrific student, and a truly amazing representative for our program and for Duke."

Irving averaged 17.5 points and 4.3 assists as a freshman. He showed that he was among the most talented players in the nation.

That is the upside.

The downside is that due to a toe injury he played in only 11 games and missed the ACC season.

Being a lottery pick is a strong argument for jumping. And even at 19, there are few doubters that he can't step up and be a strong addition for whatever NBA team drafts him.

But playing an entire season for a coach known for having his players improve every year is a strong reason to stay. Add the fact the Blue Devils are the national contender with him, and Irving's choice gets a little tougher.

So did Irving make the right choice?

While we're on the clock, here is some good work by some good people that we might have missed while sleeping or wondering what the jury is thinking now that the case has been presented in the Barry Bonds trial.

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About Reid and Mike

Reid Cherner has been with USA TODAY since 1982 and written Game On! since March 2008.

He has covered everything from high schools to horse racing to the college and the pros. The only thing he likes more than his own voice is the sound of readers telling him when he's right and wrong.

Michael Hiestand has covered sports media and marketing for USA TODAY, tackling the sports biz ranging from what's behind mega-events such as the Olympics and Super Bowl to the sometimes-hidden numbers behind the sports world's bottom line.